Weather



(No Model.)

G. F. S-TARKWBATHER.

' I SPRING BOLT AND BOX. q.

No. 505,491.v Patent-ed sept. 26', 1.893.

l UNITED' "STATES VPATENT OFFICE.

GLEASON F. STARKVEATl-IER, OF C-lZI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PAIGE IRON WORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

sPRlNc-BoL-r AND Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Fatent No. 505,491, dated September 26, 1893.

' .tppiicaiontiednay v25, 1893.1; stanno. 475,458. memoire To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GLEASON F. STARK- WEATHER, a citizen of the United States, re-4 siding at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring-Bolts and Boxes;` and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in spring bolts designed to yieldingly oppose the movement of the device engaged thereby and to cause a return movement of such device when positively moved inV the opposite direction.

The particular kind of spring bolt and box to which my invention more especially relates is designed for use in connection with switches, whether split or tongue switches for causing a return of the switch point or tongue to its normal position, after operation by the switch tender, or by automatic devicesfor that purpose.

The prime object of'this invention is to have the casing or box for the spring bolt subserve the further purpose of aunt lock to prevent the rotation, and consequent change of position, ofthe spring adjusting nut on the bolt whereby the spring bolt is free to have all of the necessary and usual movements without the possibility of a change of position of the nut by which the tension `of the4 spring of said bolt is adjusted.

Another object is to have the spring bolt and box of simple and novel construction and readily adapted for use in connection with either a tongueor split switch; `and to provide certain novel details, in carrying out my invention, all as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l represents a plan view of the spring bolt and box embodying myinvention showing the same asapplied toatongue switch. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section thereof on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig/.1` is a transverse section similar these parts together.

to Fig. 2, but showingthe spring bolt and box as applied to a split switch; Fig. 5, a detail section of a modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings A, B indicate the main and guard rails and C the tongue of a tongue switch as applied to an ordinary rail.

At the outer side of the guard rail is secured a plate D constituting an abutment for the bolt spring as hereinafter referred to and also for the'rexnovable box or casing E which is preferably hollow and rectangularin cross section,'and secured to the rails by means of bolts passing through lateral flanges G cast thereon, said bolts being provided with removable nuts H, by means of which the box may be readily detached from the rail. It will of course be understood that the abutment plate D is also secured to the rails by these same bolts which pass therethrough and preferablythrough the switch base plate I between the main and switch rails A, B and through the web of the main railAwhere the opposite ends thereof may be headed or screw threaded and provided with nuts or any other meansV of fastening.

VVithin the box E is located a bolt J working through a perforation. in the abutment plate D and the web of the guard rail B, and provided with an enlarged head K at the inner side of said rail, with4 which is engaged the downturned end L of the switch tongue C, or any suitable pin or other projection on said tongue, such as is 'usually employed for that purpose for whileAI have shown the down turned end of the switch tongue as engaged by the head of the bolt I do notdesire to limit myself to this particular means of connecting The bolt'J is preferably of the kind known as an eye bolt, with the eye in the enlarged head thereof, which latter lies to work horizontally in a depression M formed in the switch base plate I so as to prevent the turning of the bolt, the inner end of which is screw threaded and has al nutN working thereon, between which and the abutment plate D, is confined a coil springO the tension of which tends to draw the head of IOO the bolt normally against the switch rail B and consequently to hold the switch tongue C in the normal position illustrated in the drawings. The nut N rests upon ledges P cast with or otherwise secured to the interior of the box E, the interior of the box substantially corresponding in dimensions with the nut so that the latter fits loosely therein, but without capability of rotation. Obviously, however, these ledges mightbe dispensed with and the interior of the box be formed square so as to loosely fit over the nut, the principal purpose of the construction shown in the drawings and above described being the saving of metal by omitting the bottom of the box and'substituting the comparatively short Vledges therefor.

In practice whenever it is desired to adjust or change the tension of the spring O upon the bolt J it is only necessary to remove the nuts H slip the box E back olf of the bolt and nut, turn the nut to the desired position, the bolt being held against rotation as before described, and then restore the box to its normal position by slipping it back over the bolt and nut and setting up the nuts H. It will thus be seen that the box not only serves as a protection for the spring bolt against the elements and against accidental breakage or disturbance, but also serves as a nut lock to prevent any change in the tension of the spring bolt after it is once adjusted.

In Fig. 4 I have shown practically the same device as applied to an ordinary split switch, A in this case also representing the main rail and B the switch rail or point, which, however, in this case is movable and corresponds to the switch tongue of the construction before described. The box E is at the opposite side of the track, however, that is to say, that the abutment plate D is dispensed with and the bolt J works through the web of the main rail which latter serves as an abutment for the spring O and also for the box E which is in this case likewise provided with ledges P, or if desired, as before described, may have an interior conformation of dimensions complementary to the nut N on the spring bolt. The spring bolt may be held against rotation in any suitable manner as such by Iiattening the head K thereof on the under side so that it will rest against the flange B of the switch rail or point, or as shown in Fig. 5 the bolt may be provided with the usual head and the neck J thereof be square or prismatic in cross section, or any other means may be employed for preventing the rotation of the bolt in either of the constructions shown in Figs.

4 and 5, or for that matter in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the means illustrated being simply those that readily suggest themselves to me as a cheap and effective means of carrying out my invention.

In the modified form shown in Fig. 4., I obtain all the advantages of a nut lock for the spring bolt while permitting the free action of the bolt and nut in use that are attained by the construction illustrated in Figs. l and 2, the spring bolt being also as eftectually pro tected from the elements and from accidental or malicious injury.

While I have shown and described my Y spring bolt and box in connection with a rail switch, it is obvious that it is equally applicable to other devices where a spring bolt is employed, and I may also add that when applied to a rail switch, whether split or tongue, the connection between the bolt and the switch point or tongue may be the sole means for preventing rotation of the bolt.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. The combination with a spring actuated 4 bolt, means for preventing the rotation thereof, and a spring adjusting nut thereon of a removable box inclosing said bolt and nut and engaging the nut so as to prevent rotation of the same, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with the switch tongue, the spring actuated bolt provided with a head engaging said tongue, and means for preventing the rotation of the bolt, of a nut working on said bolt for adjusting the spring actuating the same, and a removable box inclosing said bolt and nut provided with projections engaging said nut so as to prevent rotation thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.,

3. The combination with a stationary rail, a movable switch tongue, a bolt working through the stationary rail and provided with a head engaging the switch tongue and means for preventing the rotation of said bolt of a nut on the opposite end of said bolt, a coil spring sleeved upon the bolt and confined between said nut and the stationary rail and a box inclosing said spring and nut having interior dimensions and configuration complementary to said nut whereby the nut is free to move longitudinally in said box, but is prevented from rotation on the bolt substantially as and for the purpose described.

GLEASON F. STARKWEATHER.

Witnesses:

W. R. OMoHUNDRo, V. HUGO.

IOO 

